The Montessori Philosophy of education can be used to help young children learn and establish a firm foundation for formal schooling. Some parents choose to start their children in a preschool Montessori program, while others decide to implement the Montessori Method at home to prepare for kindergarten. No matter what path you choose, there are ways that you can implement the Montessori Philosophy with your young children.

Learn the core tenets of the Montessori Philosophy

The first and most basic step of this process is to learn the core tenets of the Montessori Philosophy. If you are interested in implementing the Montessori Philosophy, it means that you already have some understanding of what it means. However, in order to effectively implement the Montessori Philosophy, you do need to have a clear understanding of the core tenets. A good place to start learning more about the Montessori Philosophy is the online parent library provided by Fountainhead Montessori School.

Take advantage of natural learning opportunities throughout the day

The Montessori Philosophy can be applied in a wide range of scenarios as you go through your day with your young children. For example, one of the core beliefs in Montessori education is that children are naturally smart and will learn naturally when provided with the opportunity. If you have a child who is interested in bugs, implementing the Montessori Philosophy may look like counting all the bugs you see throughout the day, learning to identify flying insects that are common in your area, or identifying different colors of the bugs. In this scenario, your child’s interest in bugs can be used to learn about math, science, and colors. The friction that sometimes comes with teaching your child something is removed because you are talking about a topic your child is already interested in. You may see bugs walking through a parking lot while running errands or while on a playdate – these are all opportunities for implementing the Montessori Philosophy with your child.

Put an emphasis on independence

A big part of the Montessori Philosophy is teaching kids to be self-directed and independent learners. You can work on these skills throughout a normal day with younger children. Look for opportunities to allow your child to work through a problem independently. If your child is interested in something, create a space where he or she can spend focused time engaging with their interest. Implementing the Montessori Philosophy is not about hovering or micromanaging younger children, it is about creating space for independence and growth.

Once you have a grasp of the core tenets of the Montessori Philosophy you will start to recognize all of the opportunities to implement it in the course of a normal day. If you decide to send your child to a Montessori preschool program, you can reinforce the learning that happens in the classroom by following the steps outlined above.